thrillwiki_django_no_react/shared/docs/project_documentation.md

ThrillWiki Project Documentation

Overview

ThrillWiki is a comprehensive Django-based web application for managing and sharing information about amusement parks, rides, and attractions. The platform allows users to explore parks, review rides, share photos, and track various statistics about amusement parks and rides worldwide.

System Architecture

Core Applications

1. Parks App

   • Manages amusement park information
   • Handles park areas and locations
   • Tracks park statistics and operating status

2. Rides App

   • Manages ride information and categories
   • Tracks detailed roller coaster statistics
   • Links rides to parks, manufacturers, and designers

3. Companies App

   • Handles park ownership information
   • Manages ride manufacturers
   • Tracks company statistics and history

4. Designers App

   • Manages ride designer/engineering firm information
   • Tracks designer contributions and history

5. Media App

   • Handles photo uploads and management
   • Supports generic relationships for photos
   • Manages media storage and organization

6. Reviews App

   • Manages user reviews and ratings
   • Handles review moderation
   • Supports review images and likes

7. Analytics App

   • Tracks page views and user interactions
   • Identifies trending content
   • Provides analytics data for the platform

Authentication & User Management

• Custom user model through accounts app
• Social authentication support (Google, Discord)
• User profiles and settings management

Data Models

Park Models

class Park:
    - name, slug, description
    - status (Operating, Closed, etc.)
    - location (latitude, longitude, address)
    - operating details (season, dates)
    - statistics (total rides, coasters)
    - ownership information

Ride Models

class Ride:
    - name, slug, description
    - category (Roller Coaster, Dark Ride, etc.)
    - status and operating dates
    - manufacturer and designer links
    - park and area location
    - accessibility and capacity info

class RollerCoasterStats:
    - height, length, speed metrics
    - track type and materials
    - launch system details
    - train configuration

Company Models

class Company:
    - name, slug, description
    - headquarters and contact info
    - park ownership tracking
    - historical records

class Manufacturer:
    - name, slug, description
    - ride production statistics
    - historical records

Media Management

class Photo:
    - Generic relationship to content
    - Image storage and organization
    - Caption and metadata
    - Upload tracking

Review System

class Review:
    - Generic relationship to content
    - Rating and content
    - Moderation support
    - Image attachments
    - Like/report functionality

Analytics

class PageView:
    - Content tracking
    - Timestamp and user info
    - Trending content calculation

Key Features

Content Management

• Comprehensive park and ride information
• Historical tracking of all content changes
• Rich media support with photo management
• Detailed statistics and specifications

User Interaction

• User reviews and ratings
• Photo uploads and sharing
• Content moderation system
• Social features (likes, reports)

Analytics and Trending

• Page view tracking
• Trending content identification
• Usage statistics and metrics

Location Features

• Geographic coordinates
• Address management
• Park area organization

Technical Implementation

Database Design

• PostgreSQL database
• Generic relations for flexible content relationships
• Comprehensive indexing for performance
• Historical record tracking

Authentication

• Django allauth integration
• Multiple social auth providers
• Custom user model and authentication flow

Media Handling

• Custom storage backend
• Organized file structure
• Automatic file naming and organization

Performance Features

• Caching configuration
• Database query optimization
• Efficient media handling

Security Features

• CSRF protection
• Secure authentication
• Content moderation
• User input validation

Management Commands

Analytics

• update_trending.py: Updates trending content calculations

Parks

• update_park_counts.py: Updates park statistics and ride counts

Frontend Integration

Templates

• Organized template structure
• Partial templates for reusability
• Photo gallery integration

Static Files

• CSS with Tailwind integration
• JavaScript for interactive features
• Photo gallery functionality

Development Guidelines

Code Organization

• Modular app structure
• Clear separation of concerns
• Consistent naming conventions

Best Practices

• Generic relations for flexibility
• Historical tracking for all major models
• Comprehensive validation
• Efficient query patterns

Security Considerations

• Secure content storage
• User permission management
• Input validation and sanitization
• Protected user data

Deployment Considerations

Environment Configuration

• Environment-specific settings
• Secure key management
• Database configuration

Media Storage

• Organized upload structure
• Efficient file handling
• Backup considerations

Performance Optimization

• Caching strategy
• Database indexing
• Query optimization

Future Considerations

Scalability

• Database optimization opportunities
• Caching improvements
• Media handling optimization

Feature Expansion

• Additional social features
• Enhanced analytics
• Mobile app integration possibilities

Integration Opportunities

• API development
• Third-party service integration
• Mobile app support